SEPTEMBER, 1894. 



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SWIMMING, 



-BY- 



WALTER C DOUGLAS, 



New York Athlt-Ho Club. 



A BOOK DEVOTED TO THE ART OF SWIMMING. THE 
BREAST STROKE ON LAND AND WATER. THE 
oVER-HAND RACING STROKE, DIVING, PLUNG- 
ING, AND A CHAPTER ON TRAINING. 







Fully Illustrated. 



PANY, 



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—PUBLISHED HY THE— 



341 Broadway, New York City. 



Q-V2^7 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1894, by 

The American Sports Publishing Co., 

in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 






SWIMMING. 



INTRODUCTION. 

This mode of locomotion is next to walking and running, the 
most primitive and simple, being practised by all savage nations, 
who are generally great adepts in the art. It is not, however, 
a natural power in man — the child of the savage requiring to 
be taught as much as the inhabitant of the civilized world. 
This is a very remarkable fact, and marks the difference 
between man and the brute creation in a point not to the ad- 
vantage of the former. The dog and the horse, on falling into 
the water are able to swim ; and though they are sometimes 
rather awkward at first, yet they are never in absolute danger 
of drowning. Man, on the other hand, without learning to 
swim, would almost invariably drown, in spite of all that lias 
been written to the contrary on the subject. It is true that 
Some people with capacious chests, and with a great develop- 
ment of fat, are able to support themselves in the water with- 
out the use of their hands or legs; but, in the vast majority of 
cases, the drowning man who trusts to his mere buoyancy will 
indeed "catch at a straw." This being the case everyone 
should learn to swim; and even if ladies were taught, many 



swimmim; 



lives would be saved, not only of the gentler sex, but of their 
male protectors, who are often sacrificed in attempting to save 
their charges. 



THE BREAST STROKE. 

Dry Land Teaching. 

I think this plan very useful where water cannot immediately 
be obtained. Take an office stool and place a padded cushion 
on the top. Then take your pupil and balance him on it upon 
his stomach. Teach him first how to work his hands, and when 
they are all right, his feet, and when the hands and feet can do 
their several parts, make them both work together in proper 
time. Now let me help you. Straighten your patient out 
from finger-tips to toes, palms downwards. At the word "one," 
the hands are quickly turned outward while the arms are 
brought around square with the shoulders; at "two," the 
elbows are closed to the sides and the hands are brought be- 
tween the chin and breast ; mind they are carried over the 
breasts and not under them. At the word " three," the hands 
are sent to the front to the full length of the arms with energy 
and not in a purely passive way. The legs should be carried 
well up under the body and outward as much as possible at 
every stroke. Point the toes upward, towards the shins, before 
each kick. The object of turning the toes up is to get all the 
advantage possible from them, as it is in the stroke that the 
power is applied with the flat of the soles. The feet ought to 
be turned out till the toes are in line with the elbows just 




before the kick. After a vigorous kick, point the toes down- 
ward and close the legs with a snap, again bringing the soles 
in use. As the heels meet the strain which was put upon the 
feet, to turn the toes down, is taken off, and must he put on 
again after the next kick is made. 

When the hands and feet can each do their separate parts, 
get them working together as follows : as the hands and arms 
apply the jiower, the legs are being brought up for the kick — 
all at the word "one." The kick is made as the hands meet 
the chest, and the sweep with the soles continues the rythm as 
the hands are brought to the front in the recovery. By these 
movements, power is always being applied, either by hands or 
feet. While t lie arms are working the legs are recovering and 
visa-versa. A half a second ought to elapse before the hands 
are parted ; this will give confidence to the pupil, and will 
keep hini from smimming too f.tst when lie begins water-work. 

The dry-land system may be ridiculed ; but if you, who have 
been taught, with pole and belt, and in the water, in many 
lessons or in few, will consider, let me ask, what was the care 
and object of your teacher? It was to shape your limbs pro- 
perly, and then to get you to cut out the two semi-circles com- 
plete ; when he had done so he knew that you could swim, and 
not before. If he had no name for the part he wished you to 
perform, it was because he did not study well his profession : 
he knew that an outer and an inner circle would make you 
swim, but lie did not call it by that name, which is, in my 
opinion, the best name for the performance ; forman can never 
form a nearer approach to two semi-circles than when he swims 
the breast stroke. Well, say a boy takes from five to fifty 
less, nis before he can swim ; why did he not swim in his fifth 



SWIMMING. 




FIG. I 



SWIMMING. 7 

lesson and yet did swim in liis fiftieth ? I say a boy can swim 
in one lesson ; it is no less possible to swim in one lesson than 
in fifty : it only wants a dear explanation of how the hands and 
feet are to be held and how they are to be worked. 

The Breast Stroke— In Water. 

It must not for one moment be imagined that proficiency in 
land-movements will enable a pupil to swim as soon as he 
enters the water, but it will be of immense assistance to him, as 
the various actions will be known and naturally attempted, un- 
til very soon these movements will become mechanical. He 
should commence with the leg movement by taking hold of the 
strp-, or bar of the bath, supposing it lie a bath in which the 
pupil begins his lessons, with one hand level with the surface 
ami place the other hand against the side or steps, some eigh- 
teen inches below the surface. In this manner the pupil read- 
ily controls his body. Stretch out the body horizontally to its 
fullest extent near the surface of the water, and keep the legs 
closed, toes turned outward, back hollowed and the head 
turned back. 

These points having been carefully noted, the leg movement 
should be proceeded with as follows : 

(i). Turn the toes outward to the right and left, respect- 
ively, with the heels nearly touching ; draw up the feet gently 
towards (he body somewhat above the level of the back, and as 
they near the body separate the feet a few inches. When drawn 
up, the soles of the feet should be at right angles to the sur- 
face of the water and just below the surface, while the knees 



SWIMMING. 




FIG. 2 



SWIMMING. Q 

should be turned outward to the right and left, and not drawn 
up too much under the body (Figs. I and 3). 

(2). To develop the next movement the legs must be smartly 
kicked in the outward direction to their widest extent without 
straining the thighs. 

(3). As soon as the legs have been straightened, continue the 
stroke without interruption by closing the legs with vigor until 
they nearly touch each other in line with the body — here is 
where the toes are turned downward, slashing the water with 
the soles of the feet — preparatory to bringing them up into the 
first position. 

As regards the arm movements, some divergence of opinion 
exist as to the correct position in which the hands should be 
held. In our view, it is essential thai the hands should be kept 
flat with the palms downward during the recovery, as this as- 
sists in a great measure in sustaining the body on the surface 
and also prevents the friction which would naturally arise if 
the hands from the wrists should be dropped as to present the 
back of the hand to the line of progression. As far as the hold- 
ing of the hands Rat at the first position is concern d, it is im- 
material at the start, but as soon as the body is in motion, the 
keeping of the hands flat adds directly to progression. It may 
seem but a slight matter, but it is these small details, carefully 
studied, which tend to accelerate the speed of swimmers. 

In order to make our instruction perfectly clear we shall 
divide the arm movement into three actions, as in the leg 
stroke; the pupil is supposed to be straightened : 

(i). Turn the palms of [he hands slightly outwards and take 
a backward sweeping stroke, continuing the pressure until the 
hands and arms are brought nearly to a right angle with the 



SWIMMING. 




f/G.3 



SWIMMING. II 

body in line with the shoulder. (Fig. 6). Then gently close 
the .inns to the chest. As soon :is the pressure of the backward 
sweeping stroke ceases, the hands should be immediately flat- 
tened. 

(2). Draw the elbows nearly to the side, at the same time 
bringing the forearm and hands up to the front of the chest 
with the palms of the hands next the chest and near the surface 
of the water. The fingers should be extended and closed. 
(Fig. 4). 

(3). Push the hands forward directly in front of you until 
the arms are at their full extent, still keeping the hands about 
two or three inches from the surface, and pause slightly before 
repeating the first movement, giving the body a chance to ap- 
preciate the power applied by the legs. 

The Over-Hand Side-Stroke. 

In this stroke, the one used by all the fast men in England, 
Australia, and this country, it is a matter of choice on which 
side the body is turned. J. II. Tyers, W. Evans and J. Nuttal 
swim on the right side while Kenny swims on the opposite side. 

Swimming with the left side toward the surface does not im- 
pede the action of the heart and the organs of digestion are 
kept free from pressure. For the purpose of clear description 
it will be best to imagine the swimmer is in the water lying 
on the right side. At the start, the lower arm should be 
pulled downwards towards the hips, in a plain perpendicular 
to the surface, as in (Fig. 7), the fingers being kept closed and 
the hand flat, so as to present a large surface to the water. 
When this stroke is finished, the hand should be turned quickly, 
palm upwards, so that together with the lower part of the ami 



12 



SWIMMING. 




SWIMMING. 13 

it cuts the water sideways, the arm being almost bent double. 
Then, as it is shot forward, the hand is gradually turned from 
palm downwards, until, when it arrives at its position in front 
of the head, and almost at the surface, it is ready for the next 
stroke. The recovery ought to be effected much more quickly 
than the " pull," as in the former the water practically only 
offers resistance to the upper part of the arm ; but during the 
down stroke the whole arm and hand have to be dragged 
through it. 

The upper or left-arm stroke is started when the downward 
stroke of the under or right arm is finished. It begins about 
half a foot in front of the face. The arm is slightly bent to 
work clear of the chest, the palm and thumb pointing down- 
wards. The pull in most cases is taken with the arm bent a 
little as it enters the water, but in others, the hand is brought 
under the chest, ami then, with the arm bent at light angles, 
swept back close to the body, the arm gradually straightening 
as it leaves the water. This stroke should not be made too 
long, either at the beginning or at the finish, as the effect of 
the power applied is greater when the hand is opposite the 
shoulder. At the end of the pull, that is, when the hand is 
opposite the waist, it should be brought smartly out of the 
water, and carried quickly forward through the air to recom- 
mence its work. In the recovery the fingers are kept near but 
not touching the surface of the water. As the upper arm 
enters the water the leg should begin to open for the leg stroke. 
(Fig. 8.) They should be in the position for beginning the kick 
when the hand is about six inches from the knee, and the kick 
should be completed and the legs straightened just as the under 
arm is half through its work — just as the right hand is pointing 



14 



SWIMMING 




SWIMMING. 15 

toward the bottom. With this movement, called the " Alter- 
nate Movement," the left hand appears to slap the left knee 
just as the kick is started, but in reality never comes closer 
than three inches. With the aid of a few dashes this "alter- 
nate movement," so vital to even or regular swimming, can be 
readily understood. 



b> 



d d> 

Let a represent the distance the left arm carries the body 
through the water ; let b represent the distance the legs propel 
the body ; c the distance the right arm carries the body ; and 
d the total distance covered by one complete stroke with the 
alternate movement, a', b r , c r , and d f , represent respectively 
the same distances when the body is propelled by any other than 
the alternate movement, a, b, c, a r , b 1 , c r , can all be consid- 
ered equal. Now as b acts when there is no recovery through 
the water, and as b f has to overcome the retarding power of 
Cf, when cf is recovering, the distance traversed by the body 
under the action of b must be greater than when under 
the action of b r ', again, as a and a r , and c and c r , 
the two arms respectively, always have the same amount of 
work, it materially follows that the sum of a, b, and c must 
be greater than the sum a 1 , b r , and c ! , or that the alternate 
movement will propel the body further than any other movement 
with the same power. 

The leg movement is described as follows : from the straight- 
ened position, the legs are drawn up close to each other and 
mar the body ; tlu-y are opened and brought together again 



K. 



SWIMMING. 




SWIM MIND. ^7 

simultaneously, the left or upper leg being kicked out forward 
as in running, the knee straightened and the power applied 
with the hack of the calf and sole of the foot. The right or 
lower leg is bent almost double, until the heel nearly touches 
the thigh, the tendon Achilles acting as a cut-water, and the 
foot swinging as on a hinge, so that there is really very little re- 
sistance. The sweep is then made simultaneously with the 
upper leg, the power in this case coining from the entire front 
of the leg from the toe to the knee. In the effective part of the 
stroke the left foot is straightened with a stamp at the same 
time that the right leg meets it with a vicious kick. As the 
legs come together, the wash from the upper meets the swirl 
fn>m the lower, and helps considerably to send the body for- 
ward. 

Tn trying to perfect himself in this stroke, the beginner will 
find that the position of the head requires great attention, lie 
must be able to breathe correctly and at the proper time. About 
forty-five strokes are taken to the minute for a hundred yard 
swim, and at each stroke a breath is taken as the upper arm is 
in the recovery. The exhalation must be going on all the re- 
maining time, the waste air being forced out the nostrils. 

The "Trudgeon" Stroke. 

Many forms of this stroke are adopted by sprint swimmers 
and water polo players, tt is a very fatiguing method of pro- 
gression, and rarely used for distances over loo yards ; but for 
short races it is constantly preferred in this country to the over- 
hand stroke just described. 

Why the United States swimmers seem partial to this stroke I 
do not know, when Tyers, Nuttal and Kenny all use the over- 



1 8 



SWIMMING. 




SWIMMING. ig 

hand side-stroke for their spurts as well as longer races. It was 
first brought into notice in England, by J. Trudgeon, who ac- 
quired his knowledge in the rivers of South America. Many of 
the swimmers who copied Trudgeon afterwards found that it 
was less laborious and equally as fast to use a double over-arm 
otroke, as instead of the chest being raised clear out of the 
water, they were able to keep the body more horizontal and 
thus use the power which would otherwise be required to raise 
the chest from water for propulsion. The leg kick is the same 
as in the ordinary over-hand stroke. When th- kick is taken, 
the body is on its side, and as the recovery of the legs is be- 
ing made, one arm is making a positive stroke while the other 
is being brought into position out of the water and the body 
turns on the breast. Meanwhile, the upper hand has gone for- 
ward ; as it is being pulled through the water and the leg kick 
taken, it turns on to the side again. When swimming with 
the polo ball, the body is kept on the breast all the time as in 
the original style. 



SWIMMING ON THE BACK. 

The great importance of back swimming has been little recog- 
nized by swimmers. Very great attention is paid to the faster 
methods of progression, championships and ordinary races for 
every conceivable distance having been promoted ; back swim 
ming, however, the knowledge of which is of primary impor- 
tance in saving life, lias been utterly neglected. Fast side- 
stroke swimming is of small value in saving life unless other 
methods of progression are known to the swimmer, and it has 
not unfrequently happened that the purely speed swimmer has 



SWIMMING, 




*-^>^v v./' £$'' 

c A A 

/7a a. 






SWIMMING. 21 

had either to release his hold of a drowning person or else to 
call for help himself. 

Back swimming can be easily acquired by any person able to 
swim on the breast, for the movements are almost identical. 

The best method of learning back swimming is to stand in 
water which reaches up to the waist, then spread the arms out on 
a level with the shoulder, fall gently backwards on to the water, 
and as the legs leave the bottom, take a slight spring so as to im- 
part impetus to the body. In the first stroke the arms should 
be brought round almost to the side, the hands being kept in 
such a position that the thumbs are nearest the surface, and at 
the same time the leg-stroke should be carried out in exactly the 
same manner as in breast-stroke swimming. In bringing 
the arms back to first position, the hands should be turned palm 
downwards, so as to offer less resistance. The more perfect 
form of method is to make a sculling motion with the arms, the 
hands being brought towards the sides of the body during the 
effective portion of the leg-kirk, and pushed outward when the 
lc^s an- being ready fur the next kick. The tip of each hand 
describe a sort of double loop. 



DIVING, PLUNGING, AND FLOATING. 

The best method <>f learning to dive is to stand on the si«k 

of a bath or bank, then stoop down until the body is neat 1 J 
double, stretch out the arms in front of the head, sink the 
head between them, and gradually tumble over into the water. 
The great difficulty is to make the first plunge. Once this is 
accomplished, proficiency will soon come with practice. Most 
beginners are nervous, and afraid to enter head first. Their 



SWIMMING. 




SWIMMING. 23 

ti ials are often amusing. They will start for a dive, but change 
it into a jump ; or they will keep their head hack and arms up 
thus coming down on the water in grand style, with plenty of 
noise and splash. A very good plan with a beginner who is 
learning to dive, is to get two other swimmers to hold a towel 
stretched in front of him. This gives him an idea as to" the 
throwing up of the legs, and as he goes over if the legs are 
not thrown up, the confederates should raise the towel so as to 
force the learner to make a clean dive. At his next attempt, 
he will probably get his legs up properly. A spring diving- 
board is generally used for running headers. A run of from 
twenty to thirty feet is made; when the end of the diving-board 
is neared, a jump is taken, and the body shoots up into the air. 
Then the experience gained in low diving is brought into ser- 
vice, the body is straightened and declined towards the water. 
When properly done, this style of diving is very graceful. It 
creates no splash, and the body enters the water "cleamly." 
The plunger should stand erect on his starting base with the 
toes slightly overlapping the edge of the bath and the ball of 
the foot resting firmly upon the diving base. The knees should 
be kept together. Then the arms should be swung slowly back- 
ward and forward and a few short respirations taken, the heels 
being raised from the ground at each forward swing of the 
arms. The inhalation should be short and the expiration long. 
As soon as the lungs are well cleared, a spring forward is made, 
ami a deep inspiration is taken. As the feet leave the diving 
base, the hands are thrown above the head in line with the body, 
which in the spring forward should be directed so as to enter 
the water as far as possible from the starting point. The 
actual anyde to be observed can only be arrived at by continual 



SWIMMINC 




RUNNING HEADER. 



SWIMMING. 25 

practice, hut at no time should the hody he more than two feet 
or two feet six inches below the surface of the water. When 
the hody has once entered the water, the palms of the hands 
should be flat, the fingers kept perfectly straight, and thumbs 
locked. The feet should he turned well hack, with the soles 
as nearly as possihle facing upwards. At the same time the 
hody must he kept rigid in as stratght a line as possihle, and 
perfectly motionless. If these directions he observed, the 
hody will move from twenty to thiity feet under the water, then 
gradually rise to the surface and float onwards in a straight 
line ; the piunge terminating when the swimmer finds the air 
in the lungs exhausted, and is thereby compelled to raise his 
face. When the hody is rising to the surface after the dive, 
care should be taken that the head and arms do not come too 
far out but remain on the surface; otherwise the impetus gained 
by the dive will he greatly lessened, and the distance of the 
plunge curtailed. 

In order to " hang on," or otherwise expend to the greatest 
advantage the progressive power which has been gained from 
the dive, it is essentially important that the management of the 
breath should be made the subject of careful study, as it is the 
principal difficulty with which the plunger has to contend 
There is, of course, a great strain on the respiratory organs 
when a long plunge is being taken, and it will therefore he 
evident that immediately before the dive, the lungs should be 
fully inflated with pure air, s<> as to allow the plunger to enter 
the water under conditions which will enahle him to make the 
longest stay, with his mouth and nostrils below the surface, 
without undue strain. 

In order to effect a good plunge, many of those who take pari 



26 



SWIMMING. 




o 

I 

si 



SWIMMING. 27 

in competitions " hang on " an inordinate time, until the res- 
piratory centre becomes affected, and the head painful. Two 
or three instances have come under my own personal observa- 
tion of plungers sinking, face downward, in a state of insensi- 
bility ; but such cases are rare, as the face being close to the 
surface, can be quickly raised when the feeling of strain be- 
comes noticeable. It will, however, be recognized that in deep 
water the danger is one that should not be overlooked, and 
when such competitions are in progress both the plungers and 
officials should be on the alert for possible accidents. 

Floating. 

To a swimmer who really loves the art as a pastime, there 
is nothing so enjoyable as being able to float in open sea water. 
When the breakers are running higli the body is at one mo- 
ment poised on the top of a wave, while the eyes rapidly scan 
the valley of water beneath and the incoming wave beyond ; 
the next moment the body is sunk in the valley with a high 
mountain on either side, and the blue sky above. 

The essential in floating is plenty of self confidence. If a 
man be possessed of this, it will not take him very long to 
master the art. It is the nervous and impatient who experi- 
ence so much difficulty. Non-success, even after continued 
practice, should not be allowed to act as a detriment, but all the 
precept in Christendom is often unavailable with the swimmer 
"who could float if his legs would not sink." 

When beginning the attempt to learn, the mouth should be 
kept closed, as, when the body comes to a horizontal position 
on the surface, the water will in all probability ripple over the 
face before the arms are placed accurately beyond the head, 



28 



SWIMMING. 




SWIMMING. 2f) 

and, if the mouth he open, the swimmer forgets all ahout the 
need for balancing himself, gasps at the inrush of water, lets 
his leys sink, and then has to begin again. One of the best 
methods is to stand on the bottom of the bath, stretch the arms 
out perpendicularly over the head, and gradually incline the 
body backward until the shoulders are under water, all this 
time keeping the legs rigid and the body and arms as far as 
possible in the same straight line with the legs. The lungs 
should then be well filled, and a straight push off from the 
bottom taken. Every movement must be made slowly and 
carefully ; there must be no jerking, or failure Mill inevitably 
result. As the legs rise to the surface they should be extended, 
and, with the arms kept perfecty rigid. The palms of the 
hands should face upward ; the arms themselves should be 
widened apart if necessary, so as to cover a greater surface of 
the water, the head should be kept well back. If the body 
sink for a moment, the limbs should be kept rigid, and the 
breath held. The mouth and nose, toes and chest, will then 
rise above the surface, and the swimmer will realize that 
he is floating. The body will sink slightly at each expiration, 
will rise at each inspiration. 



TRAINING. 



So great kias been the progress made by the teachers ol 
physical education during the last decade, that boys and girls 
now usually pass from school well grounded in the principles 
of elementary exercise. But the temptation to relax physical 
work when one is healthy in body and mind is one which can- 
not be easily overcome. There are many successful athletes 



3° SWIMMING. 

who boast that they never train, but are equal to meeting all 
the trained men of their time. That time is, however, short, 
and surely, if but slowly, the day of reckoning comes, and the 
trained division win from them the pride of place. Neither a 
swimmer nor any other athlete can afford to play with his con- 
stitution. If it be strong, it is certainly advisable to make it 
stronger if possible, rather than to weaken it in the slightest 
degree ; whilst if it be weak, sound exercise may result in 
incalculable advantage in later years. 

If a swimmer desires to succeed in his art, regular and 
healthy habits must be the rule and not the exception. Con- 
tinued indulgence in late hours, smoking and the use of stim- 
ulants, only accelerate the development of any weak points in 
the constitution, and the opposite effect may be anticipated 
with almost a certainty if such indulgences be avoided. I do 
not in any way intend to infer by this that a swimmer should 
make the best part of his life one monotonous round of prac- 
tice, without change or enjoyment of any kind. The general 
tone of body has to be kept up. and to aid this change of 
scene and rational enjoyment are beneficial, but the enjoyment 
must not be allowed to more than counterbalance the good 
effects produced from previous exercise. 

The training of the majority of .wimmers consists simply of 
a few ordinary practice swims before a race, but here and there 
are to be found those who religiously train through the season, 
and generally with marked improvement to their capabilities. 
The difficulty is to define where training should begin and where 
it should cease, and this has to be left entirely to the discre- 
tion of the individual immediately concerned , hut a few gen- 
eral hints for improving speed and stamina will be useful. 



SWIMMING. 31 

A vital requirement for a would-be fast swimmer is staying 
power. That has to be developed before any first class swim 
ming can be done. By first class swimming I do not mean the 
dashing over a short twenty-five yards or so in a given time, 
but a long continued effort, such as a swimmer would have to 
make to save his own life or that of another. Once staying 
power has been developed speed will assuredly follow, and by 
judicious training a man may make himself a good all-round 
swimmer over distances varying from one hundred yards to a 
mile. Tho habits must, as I have said, first of all be regu- 
lar and healthy, and the living plain though good. There 
is no advantage to be gained by studying any list of digestible 
and indigestible foods. Every man should suit his own tastes, 
but if possible eschew spiced viands and rich comestibles. If 
the digestion is not very good, there are plenty of simple remed- 
ies which, if taken in time, are of far more use than all the 
quack medicines ever invented, and more likely to be effica- 
cious. Drugs should be avoided like poison, unless prescribed 
by a medical man. The great thing in all training is to pre- 
vent derangement of the stomach, and to correct it as soon as it 
makes its appearance. 

Long-distance walking is the best form of exercise for a 
swimmer, as the muscles are thereby strengthened and staying 
power developed. If the swimmer be engaged in business, the 
journey to and fro — if the hours be not too long — should be 
made on foot, the man in training of course rising early enough 
to allow of his having breakfast a decent time before starting 
At every available opportunity a distance walk into the country 
should be taken. It is wonderful what a recuperative effect an 



32 SWIMMING. 

ordinary country walk has upon a man jaded by business 
worries, and to a swimmer it forms a pleasant relief. 

Although a moderate amount of rest is necessary, it is inad- 
visable, as soon as the swimming season ends, at once to cease 
active work and lie, as it were, dormant until the advent of 
Spring brings back thoughts of the swimming-bath, the river, or 
the sea. Exercise in one form or other should be taken, and 
then a fortnight or so before the opening of the season dumb- 
bells, Indian clubs, walking and gymnastics taken up more 
vigorously than before. By this method the swimmer will be 
getting himself into good condition long before many of his future 
opponents will have even thought of training, and in the first 
two or three months he will reap the benefit. The exercise 
must be varied, so that the monotony of the work does not be- 
come galling. During the racing season, the exercises already 
indicated, should be systematically undertaken and not at once 
dropped, because they are of invaluable assistance to a swimmer 
in training. 

The amount of practice that a swimmer should take in the 
water must be regulated by his habits and social position. If 
engaged during the day, the only time for practice is in the 
morning or evening ; and I incline to the opinion that the 
principal work should be done at the latter time. Some men 
can stand early morning swims as well, but many get stale if 
they practice both morning and evening. 

When begi ning t > practice in the water, the first week or 
two should be devoted to long, steady swims, with an occasional 
burst, so that the powers of endurance may be advanced while 
the speed already gained is not lost. Practice may be taken 
every day by some swimmers, but with others this will prove 



SWIMMING. 33 

too often. Here, again, the frequency of the swims must be 
left to the discretion of the individual. If he finds that he is 
getting stale, the number of water practiues should be lessened, 
and some other form of exercise substituted. Too great stress 
cannot be placed on the need there is for a swimmer at the out- 
set of the season to take long, steady swims. 

In the early stages of training it is of importance for a man to be 
porperly looked after, not allowed to stand or play about without 
doing a fair amount of swimming, and again after undressing 
and before dressing to be properly rubbed down. A good rub 
down with a towel and hands, puts new life into a swimmer. 
His muscles become ready for action, the friction increases the 
circulation near the skin, and invigorates the system. All the 
muscles of the legs, the arms, back and chest should receive at- 
tention, until the body glows all over. A cold bath in the 
morning, or even a sponge down, with a good toweling after, is 
a capital incentive to work, and one which persons other than 
swimmers might adopt to their own advantage. 

Whilst in training, or, indeed, if a man be often in the water, 
the hair should be kept short. With longhair there is a greater 
liability to catch cold, as the drying process is not so quickly 
and effectually performed ; and in addition long hair is a nuis- 
ance when one has to dress rapidly. 

It is exceptionally hard to wean an athlete from his pipe 
when once he has become addicted to its use ; but the swimmer 
should steadfastly set his face against smoking whilst in train- 
If the temptation be too great to be resisted altogether, the 
habit must be gradually overcome ; but if the pipe be thrown 
aside for two or three days, the craving for it will soon cease. 
Smoking tends to shorten the wind, and this in itself ought to 



34 SWIMMING. 

to be sufficient incentive to an athlete to manfully resist the de- 
sire for indulgence and give up the habit whilst in training. 

At this early stage of training, the methods of racing in open 
water should be carefully studied. In a race, the swimmer 
should go as straight as a die for the winning-post, and in all 
practice an effort should be made to cultivate quick and rapid 
judgement of distance, so as to be able to get sight- 
lines to steer by. With a little care at the start, the 
swimmer will soon be able to steer a straight course. It is 
important that a man should be able to do this, because if he 
wander all over a course during the progress of a race, he not 
only jeopardizes his own chances, but those of other competi- 
tors whose paths he traverses. The best method, before start- 
ing for a swim in open water, is to look up the side of a course 
on which the face will be glancing during the swim, and pick 
out some prominent object as a guide. If a return journey to 
the starting-point has to be made, a guide should be selected 
on the opposite side before plunging in. 

In bath swimming the ability to turn well is of exceptional 
advantage, particularly in a short race ; and very often the 
mere possession of this ability is sufficient to allow a swimmer 
to beat another who, in a straight-away race, would have the 
best of it by several yards. Not only must the turn be made 
smartly, but the ''push off" must be vigorous. The best 
method of practising turning is to swim across the bath slowly 
and so judge the stroke, then, when close to the side, the 
under arm can be pushed outward instead of downward. The 
other arm should at the same time be swung forward, and the 
knees dtawn up. The body will then turn completely round, 
the oyer arm touching the side as the turn is made. Then both 



SWIMMING. 35 

feel should he placed against the side, the hands shot rapidly 
forward, and a vigorous " push off " taken. These move- 
ments should be performed so quickly that there is no halt 
between them, and with a little practice, the turn may be per- 
formed neatly and mechanically. An inhalation should be 
taken when the under arm is being pulled outward, as the head 
sinks below the water during the turn. There are other ways 
of turning, but this method will be found the best for racing 
purposes* 

A swimmer, having passed through the elementary work of 
developing his staying power, perfecting his style of swimming, 
as well as learning to turn and " push off " well and neatly, so as 
not to encroach upon the water-space allotted to another com- 
petitor, should then devote his attention to speed. Improve- 
ment ID speed can only come by constant practice, and it is 
senseless to throw up training because within a certain period 
no marked decrease in the time taken to cover a particular dis- 
tance is noticeable. In fact, the trials may occasionally be 
slower than those previously made, but this should not in any 
way discourage the aspirant, as there are many causes, such as 
a man being out of condition, making a bad start or turn, which 
might contribute to this, 

The training for speed by amateurs should not be overdone. 
If a swimmer does his work in the evening, he should take care 
no) i" tire himself during the day. His first spins should be 
about thirty yards at top speed, a rub down, and then another 
sprint of fifty yards. This is quite sufficient water practice, 
and after a careful toweling a brisk walk should be taken. This 
training will perfectly suit a man entered for a hundred yards 
race. Occasionally the full distance should be swam against 



36 SWIMMING. 

the watch, and now and then two hundred yards covered at an 
ordinary pace ; but the main work should be confined to dis- 
tances somewhat shorter than that for which the swimmer is 
training. When entered for races at distances of above one 
hundred and under five hundred yards, the training has to be 
slightly altered. Longer swims are necessary on account of the 
need for greater staying power. About three-quarters of the 
distance should be covered at racing pace. For courses over 
five hundred yards the work is much more severe. The speed 
should not be too great at first, but it must begradually increased 
until considerable more than half the distance can be covered 
rapidly. Once or twice a fortnight a swim of double the journey 
entered for, should be made at a uniform rate of movement, 
and once a week the full distance traversed at top speed against 
the watch. Even when training for longer races the short fifty 
yard swims should not be neglected, for the possession of a turn 
of speed at the finish of a close longdistance race is very valuable. 
In conclusion let me add a few bits of advice which the aspirant 
for swimming honors might do well to remember and profit by. 

— Be ready for the pistol and do not make too deep a dive. 

— Keep a straight course throughout the entire distance and 
remember a yard lost in a mile race means more than a second 
gained for the opponent. 

— Be careful about your breathing. It is hardly pleasant to 
find the lungs half filled with water by mistake. 

Two short, quick Trudgeon stroke at the finish of a close 

race may turn the verdict in your favor. 

Never swim in a long race unless accompanied by a boat. 

The risks are too great. 

A liberal coating of vaseline on the stomach will help 

keep away the action of cold water. 



SWIMMING. 37 



SWIMMING RULES OF THE A. A. U. 

Section i. Officials shall consist of one Referee, three 
Judges at the finish, three Time Keepers, one Starter, one 
Clerk of the Course, with assistants, if necessary. 

Sec. 2. Duties and powers of these officials shall be the 
same as is prescribed for them in the foregoing Rules. 

Sec. 3. In the 100 yards Swimming Race each competitor 
shall stand with one or both feet on the starting line-, and, 
when the signal is given, shall plunge. Stepping back, either 
before or after the signal will not be allowed. 

Skc. 4. The start for longer races shall be the same as the 
100 yards, except that the competitors may start in the water 
(tread-water start) from an imaginary line. 

Sec. 5. Each competitor shall keep a straight course, par- 
allel with the course of the other competitors, from his stall- 
ing station to the opposite point in the finish line. Competi- 
tors will be started ten feet apart, and e^ch one is entitled to 
a straight lane of water, ten feet wide, from start to finish. 
Any contestant who, when out of his own water, shall toucfi 
another competitor, is liable to disqualification from that 
event — subject to the discretion of the Referee. 

Sec. 6. Each competitor shall have finished the race when 
any part of his person reaches the finish line. 



Bathing Suits. 



Two-Piece Suits. 

Our two-piece Bathing Suits consist of Quarter Sleevt 
Shirt and Knee Pants. The worsted suits are of the finest 
quality, close fitting and elastic, and highly recommended. 

In ordering, give chest and waist measurement. 
No. A. Worsted, plain colors, . . Per Suit, $4.50 



IN No. 


B. 


Worsted, fancy stripes, . . " 


5.00 


.... \ / No. 


C. 


Jersey Cloth, Navy Blue or Black, " 


2.50 


«4U-k No. 


D. 


Cotton, Navy Blue only, . . " 


I.OO 


TWO-PIECE. 




Postpaid. 






One-Pioce Suits. 

These suits are made in the same style as the Union or 
combination garments ; they button well down the front, 
making them easy to get on or off. This style is generally 
preferred for renting purposes at lake and seaside resorts, 
and we are prepared to quote special prices in quantities. 

In ordering, send chest measurement. 
No. |. Fancy Stripes, best quality, Per Suit, $ | .50 



No. 2. Fancy Stripes, medium quality, 
No. 3. Fancy Stripes, good quality, 

Plain, Navy Blue, 

Worsted, Navy Blue, .... 
Postpaid. 



1.00 

.75 

1. 50 

3.00 




Waterproof Canvas Bags. 

These Bags are made of canvas, lined with 
rubber, and are thoroughly waterproof ; 
will hold bathing suit, towels, brush, comb, 
etc. 

No. I . Each, postpaid, 75C. 



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SWEATERS, 
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ROWING MACHINES , 

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AGENTS FOR 

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spiiinn DfFici ipinnt hues. 

Compiled by JAMES E. SULLIVAN. 

Contaln-ne the Latest Official Rules for the Government of all 
kinds of Sport. The Most Complete and Up-to-Date Book 
ever Published. Contains Rules Coverning 

Archery, Basket Ball, 
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Price, postpaid, 50c. 
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DANGEROUS 



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stand the test without upsetting the boat or taking in water. 
No other make of boat of its size will do it. If you are in- 
terested in boats send for our illustrated catalogue of 

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CHAMPION JAMES J. CORBETT 

USED THE 

"Corbett" 

(TRADE MARK) 

Boxipg Gloves 

Manufactured by A. J. REACH CO., 
Tulip and Palmer Streets, Philadelphia, Pa. 

in his Fight with niTcnELL WrZitr&T 



The REACH 



Is on the Wrist 



ft ■ 


% ft-: 

I? 


I 1 



Trafle Marl 



of every Glove. 



An Exact Duplicate of the Gloves used by CORBETT 
will be sent upon Receipt of Price. 

Per Set, - - S7.50. 

If you cannot get them in your city, address 

A. J. REACH CO., 

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PECK & SNYDER, 

Corner 
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THE SP/\L.DING 



Official Intercollegiate Foot Ball 




FOR 1894. 

OFFICIALLY adopted by the Intercollegiate Foot Ball Associa- 
tion for 1894, making the third year of its adoption. It will 
be the only Foot Ball used in match games between the 
large colleges. 

We have spared no expense in making this ball more perfect than 
ever, and offer this season the finest Foot Ball ever produced. Each 
ball- is thoroughly tested, packed in a separate box and sealed, so 
that our customers are guaranteed a perfect ball inside when same is 
received with seal unbroken. 

A polished brass Foot Ball Infiator 
will be packed with each Intercollegiate 
Foot Ball this season without extra charge. 

No. J. Complete, postpaid, $5.00 

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SrdL&iNQ's Athletic Library. 

Published Monthly Each Number Complete. 
Devoted to all kinds of Sports. 

No. I. LIFE AND BATTLES OF JAMES J. CORBETT. 

No. 2. INDIAN CLUBS AND DUMB BELLS. By j. H. Dough- 

Amateur Champion of America. 
No. 3. BOWLING. By A. E. VoGELL. Containing instructions How to 

Bowl, How t.> Score, How to Handicap. 
No. 4. BOXING This book is, without doubt, the most valuable 

iii.mii.il ol its kind ever published, It is hilly illustrated. 
No. 5. GYMNASTICS. By Robert Stoll, N. Y. A. C, America's 

Champion on the Flying Rings since '1885: 
No. 6. LAWN TENNIS. By O. S Campbell, Champion Player of 

America. Valuable for beginners as well as experts; rules of the game 

complete. 
No. 7. BASE BALL. By Walter Camp. Specially adapted for colleges 

and preparatory si hools. Complete history of college base ball. 
No. 8. GOLF. By J. STUART BALFOUR. Containing List of Implements 

and their uses, Glossary of Technical Termsand Latest Revised Rulesof 

the Game. 
No. 9. ATHLETES' GUIDE. Articles on Training, by H. S. Cornish ; 

How to Train for Distance Running, by T. P. Conneff ; Sprinting, by 

Harry Jewett ; Throwing Weights, by James Milchel ; Walking, by 

S. Liebgold; Jumping, Hurdling, Pole Vaulting, by A. A. Jordan; 

and Rules for the Government of Athletic Games. 
No. 10. CROQUET. Official Rules of the Game as adopted by the 

No.' 11!' "spal'dIng'S "official FOOT BALL GUIDE AND 

REFEREE'S BOOK. Revised by. Walter Camp. Authorized and 

adopted by the American Inter ollegiate Association. 
No. 12. C/ELIC AND ASSOCIATION FOOT BALL. Compete 

Methods and Rules of eat b Game. 
NO. 13. HAND 3ALL. How to Play It. Rules and Definitions, Regi - 

lation Court and its construction, with other interesting matter. 
NO. 14. CURLING. HOCKEY AND POLO. Rules governing each 

game, and other valuable informatii n 
NO. I5A. INDOOR BASE BALL CUIDE, Complete Illustrations for 

Playing, with I description of G 
No. 16. SKATING. History of Skating, from earliest appearance to t'ie 

present day, to which is added a list of the most authentic recorc \. 
No. 17. BASKET BALL. Latest Revised Rules, with diagrams shov- 
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No. 18. FENCING. Compltte Manual of Foil and Sabre, according 1 o 

the methods of the best modern si hool. 

No. 19. SPALDINC'S OFFICIAL BASE BALL CUIDE FOR 1894. 

A 1 omplete hand-1 k ol il"- Nati inal Game of Base Ball. 

No. 20. CRICKET CUIDE. By Geo. Wright. Rules of the game, 

with valuable hints to players. Fully Illustrated. 

No, 21. ROWING. By E J. GlANNINl, Champion Amateur Oarsman. 

No, 22. CROQUET. As adopted by the National Croquet Association. 

illustrated. 
No. 23. CANOEING. By C. Bowvbr VaUX. Contains the Laws of 

Boat Racing, Rei irds, and Names and Addresses of all tne Boat Clubs 

Members ol the V A A, I 1. Fully illusti 
No. 24. OFFICIAL FOOT BALL CUIDE FOR 1894. Edited by 

Walter Camp. Contains rei irtraits of leading players, etc. 

EACH. POSTPAID, 10 CENTS. 

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Bathing Suits. 




No. 4. 
No. 6. 




Bathing Trunks. 

We carry a large stock of the following Trunks, 
and can fill all orders promptly. Special prices 
quoted on quantity orders. 

In ordering, give waist measure. 
No. |. Fancy Stripes, Boys' sizes, Each, SO. 25 
No. 2. Fancy Stripes, Men's and 

Boys' sizes, " .50 

riain, Navy Blue, Men's and Boys' sizes . " .50 

Fine Worsted, any color, " | .50 

Postpaid, 

Bailey's Rubber Swimming Clove. 

A decided novelty in the swimming line. Made of 
light, pure rubber, which makes the hands a perfect web, 
enabling the novice to swim like a duck after very little 
practice. The gloves give perfect confidence to the be- 
ginner, and to the expert, almost double the ordinary 
speed and power. 

Men's sizes, Per pair, $2.00 

Women's sizes, " | .75 

Boys' sizes, ...... | .50 

Postpaid. 



No. |. 
No. 2. 



Kahnweiler's Patent 
Improved Swimming Jackets. 

This improved shape is especially adapted for 
Swimming, Bathing and Boating purposes. It is so 
arranged that it is no incumbrance to the person, and 
is easily adjusted ; the most timid person can easily 
learn to swim in a very short time with this preserver. 
For surf bathing it cannot be equaled, and can be 
worn under a bathing suit without being noticed, and 
when once adjusted cannot be displaced. Assorted 
sizes for men, women and children. 

In ordering give chest measurement. 

Fancy Drill, Each, $2.50 

Plain Drill " 2.00 

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

i ■•■in iiiii inn nil mi iiiii inn inn urn urn inn in mi 



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